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Journalist threatened with gun by municipal official

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(IPYS/IFEX) - On 23 October 2008, Radio Felicidad journalist Abel Vargas Cari, director of the program "Prensa Regional", reported that he was assaulted and threatened with a gun by Róger Pinedo Flores, a municipal official from Aguaytía, in the province of Padre Abad, in the Ucayali region of southeastern Peru.

A few days before the attack, Vargas Cari had published a series of denunciations against Pinedo Flores, accusing him of nepotism and corruption. Pinedo Flores is the son of deputy mayor Elmith Flores Rojas, which has lead Vargas Cari to believe that Pinedo Flores would have the protection of high level officials in the municipality.

Vargas Cari told IPYS that the incident took place as he left the radio station. Pinedo Flores surprised him, insulted him and kicked him in the leg. He then pulled out a gun, aimed it at Vargas Cari's body, and threatened to kill him if he continued investigating his and his mother's administration.

The journalist filed a complaint with the national police, but he says he does not believe that an investigation will be carried out as the current mayor, Tony Tang Gonzáles, controls the region's authorities.

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